Otto Modersohn studied at the Academy of Art in Düsseldorf from 1884, but was disappointed by its prevailing academicism. He was equally averse to the teaching methods at the Academy in Karlsruhe. In 1889 he travelled to Worpswede in Lower Saxony with his friend and fellow student Fritz Mackensen. The two men enjoyed the roughness and endless landscape of the moors so much that they decided to leave the Academy and to move to Worpswede. They presented their works for the first time in 1895, at the Kunsthalle in Bremen. Thanks to several further exhibitions, their works soon became known throughout Germany. In 1898 Modersohn met his future second wife, Paula Becker, and a lively artistic exchange developed between the two. In July 1899 Modersohn declared his resignation from the Worpwede artists' association, which then led to its dissolution. When Paula Modersohn-Becker died tragically and prematurely at 31, Otto Modersohn decided to move to the nearby village of Fischerhude. This helped him to draw new strength, and he continued to devote himself to the study of nature. After several further stays in Worpswede and Berlin, he returned to Fischerhude again in 1917. Modersohn subsequently found important sources of inspiration for his art in Holland and in the Allgäu region where he bought a house in 1930. When Otto Modersohn turned blind on one eye in 1936, he continued to paint until his death, but only did so at his studio in Fischerhude.